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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. B. UPHAM. STORE SERVICE SYSTEM.

Padsented- Sept. 11, 1883.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. B. UPHAM.

STORE SERVICE SYSTEM-.

Patented Sept. 11, 1883.

7 1 65 nezida],

N. PETERS. Photc-Lithognpher, WAshinglon. n. c.

UNITED ST TES 'A'rE T Eric-E.

ARTEMAS B. U HAM, OF PEORIA, ILL., Assrenon or ONEIIALF TO HENRY W.WELLs AND RICHARD A. GOLDSBROUGH, OF SAME PLACE.

STORE-SERVICE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,989, dated Septembr 11, 1883, Application filed June 7, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ARTEMAS B. UPI-1AM,

of Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State.

of Illinois, have invented an Improved Store- Service System; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, makingapart of this specification, in which like letters of reference refer IOto like parts, and in which- Figure 1 represents a plan of the same;Fig. 2, an elevation of one of the tracks; Figs. 4 and '5, elevations ofmodified forms of the tracks or wires; Fig. 7, an elevation ofcarrierelevar 5 tor; Figs. 3, 6, and 8, details.

The object of this invention is the construction of a system wherebybundles and cash can be transported between the different counters of astore and a central office. The means by which cash and bundles are thustransported consist of tracks radiating from the central office to thedifferent counters-one track or set of tracks for each counter orclerkand a cash and bundle receptacle for 2 5 each track, together withmeans for moving said receptacles from end to end of their respectivetracks. In case the store is a large one, I would locate the office atthe center of the room; but if small, it might do to locate 0 it at theend. \Vhere the clerks are numerous, two neighboring ones could .use thesame track and carrier.

In the plan of my arrangement shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, D D, &c.,are the 3 5 clerks counters. AA A, &c., are the tracks leading frompoints above said counters to the central'office B. R R are thecarriers, movable upon the tracks A.

The methods by which the carriers or receptacles R can be moved upontheir respective tracks, from end to end of the same, can be classifiedas follows: by power against said carriers from the counters or theoffice, by

force stored within the carriers, or by the ac 5 tion upon them ofgravity. This application deals more especially with the last-mentionedof these ways. This form is, however, divisible into a number ofmodifications. The first ,is to furnish each carrier with twooppositely- 0 inclined tracks, by which it goes upon one from thecounter to the office and returns by the other. The second is to furnisheach carrier with one track having one or both ends vertically movable;and the last is by moving vertically oneor more intermediate parts of 55 the track, with its ends stationary. These tracks may be each formedof two small parallel bars of wood, of a single inflexible rod, of cordor cable stretched taut, or of wires. Of these materials the latter isthe best adapted for forming a durable, simple, and cheap track. Aswires are so-small as to be scarcely noticeable when suspended overheadin a store, there can be no objection, 011 the score of looks, to havingseparate wires running 6 5 from the central office to all the differentclerks or counters.

Since this invention is a parcel as well as cash carrier system, Idesign the central office, B, to be occupied by the bundle-wrapping 7Oclerk, and locate the cashier in an adjoining office, 0, situatedsomewhat below the level of the former, to allow wires and theircarriers to traverse directly over the cashier, if necessitated by thearrangement of the counters. In this system the clerks are not expectedto 1 wrap up the articles purchased of them, but are to place the same,together with the money paid therefor, into the carrier-receptacles, by.which they are transported to the desk or office B. The wrapping clerkat this desk empties the carriers, hands the money therein to thecashier, and proceeds to check, envelope, and tie up the containedarticles. The cashier Y having made the correct change, in cases where 85 change was wanted, hands the same back to the bundle-wrapper,whoplaces parcels and'all in their proper carrier and sends each back toits clerk. To prevent mistakes-such as putting the change with the wrongbundle or sending 0 the bundles to the wrong clerks-I make the rule thatthe carriers, when at the central office, B, are not to be removed fromtheir wires. If more than one carrier comes to the bundlewrapper at thesame time, he is toempty only 9 5 one of them at a time, and is torefill and send off each carrier before he removes the contents of thenext. I

In'this application the way I have devised by which to cause thecarriers to move from the clerks to the ofiice and back again consistsof elevated wires having intermediate parts of their lengths verticallymovable. For the sake of clearness in describing the construction andoperation of my wire-moving mechanisms and the carriers moving thereon,I shall speak of my store-service system as though consisting of but onewire and carrier, running between the central office and a clerk.

In Fig. 2 the track-wire A is fastened at its ends to the depending rodsB D, having suitable stay-wires, and the center of said wire A isattached to a vertically-movable ofiset' support, F. The small pipe, F,to the lower end of which said support is secured, is adapted to slidewithin the larger section of pipe, F

This latter pipe is fast to the ceiling X; but the former is supportedby means of the cord N, running over pulleys M to the clerk s counter orthe central office. A spring, M, is inserted betweensaid cord and pipeF.The pipe F, when unsupported by the cord N, depresses the wire A-tillbot-hare as shown by the dotted lines A and the catch L enters anopening in the side of said pipe F. Upon pulling strongly on the cord Nand securing it, the spring M has to yield, since its other end is heldstationary by the immovable pipe F. The carrier, being placed upon thewire A, at once gravitates toward the depressed center of the same; butthe arm F" of a small rod located in the pipe F, being in the way ofsaid carrier as it reaches the oifset support F, is struck and deflectedthereby. At the upper end of said rod is a small cam fastened thereto,which, being turned by the said deflection, presses the catch L out fromthe opening in the pipe F. Said pipe, being therefore released fromitsstop-catch, is drawn upward by the stretched spring M, the wire A ofcourse rises with it, and the carrier, having by its momentum passed thesupport F while the same was rising, rolls on down to the end of thewire A opposite to that at which it was put on. To return the carrierthe cord N is again relaxed and pulled, as before, and the journey isremade in the same way. To enable the wire to be manipulated at bothends, I have the cord N terminate in a pulley, N'-', and run the cord Nabout this pulley, securing one end to the spring 1V and carrying theother end to the end of the wire A opposite to the cord N. To allow thecarrier to pass the offset support F, it must be suspended from itswheels P atone side of the wire only.

By having several vertically-movable sup ports F introduced between theends of the wire A, this wire can be stretched for a long distance, andthe carrier be made to go from end to end of the same with but ashort'move ment of each of thesupports F. Such an arrangement as this isshown in Figs. 4 and 5. Here, however, the construction of the support-adjusters is changed from that .just described. Fig. 5 is a diagramshowing how by this method the carrier can be made to ascend from alower to a higher point. The descent can be by rolling down on thestraightened wire. Such a change of elevation of the starting andarrival points is necessitated when I am obliged to send my carrier froma lowstudded to a high-studded room, or "ice versa. This also enables meto run my wire track from near the ceiling of the store down through alow doorway, and thence gradually up near the next ceiling. The wire A,being small,offers no obstruction to impede the closing of the doorthrough which it runs. A narrow crack would, however, have to be left atthe top of the door, and the same closed only when the carrier is not inuse. The device shown in Fig. 4 for elevating the offset support-s F, asthe carrier passes over each, is simpler and cheaper than the pipearrangement previously shown, and is therefore the more preferable forordinary ,use. Here the offset support F is hung from a cord or flexiblewire, M, and is made C-shaped, as shown in Fig. 6. To prevent it fromswinging around against its wire A, it is provided with short arms J J,to which the said track-wire A is fastened. The cord M, from which thesupport F is sus pended, goes up over a pulley, M hung from the ceilingX, and is tied to one end of a spring, M. The other end of said spring Mis attached to a cord or wire, N, running along under the ceiling, andcoming down at one end over a pulley, M, to within reach of the clerk.The catch L, pivoted to the bearings of the pulley M is arranged toclutch the button M fastened to the cord M. The cords L joining saidcatch L", and the angle-iron L L, pivoted to the end K of the offsetsupport F, un-

couple the said catch L from the buttom 1W whenever a carrier passesover said support F, since in the passage of a carrier it impingesagainst the depending arm L, moving it to one side and depressing one ofits arms L. In operating this umlr lat oi-yltraclgA the cord N, as inthe constru c'tion of Fig. 2, is first relaxed to allow all the supportsF of the wire 'A to sink low enough for the stops or catches 'L" toengage with their respective buttonsM" on the cords M. The cord Nbeingthen pulled strongly and fastened to stretch all the springs M, thecarrier is ready to be put upon the track-wire A. As the carrier rollsdown to the first support F, the arm L is swung up, the stop or catch Lthereby disengaged from the button M and the cord M being thereforeunimpeded, the spring M raises it, thesupport F, wire A, and carrierthereon. The carrier then rolls on down to the next support F, by whichit is in the same way sent on to the next. In the same way the carrieris made to return to its starting-point. In Fig. 4 are shown threesupports. F in as many different posi- My carrier consists, essentially,of a light basket suspended at one side alone from two wheels arrangedto roll easily upon the track, rod, or wire ,other, and thus take up theend wear.

R represents the basket-receptacle, made of light wire or othermaterial, secured to the bent metal rods P P. (See Fig. 3.) Inthe bend Pat the upper part of each rod P is a grooved wheel, P whose axle hasbearings in blocks attached thereto. The ends of the axles of the wheelsP are conical, and the bends P are made acute, that, as the ends of saidaxles and their bearings wear loose, the blocks by being moved upwardapproach each Fig. 8 shows this construction on a larger scale, and alsoindicates the wire-guides P, by which, in placing the carrier upon thewire A, the latter is directed to the grooves of the wheels, and

prevented from getting between said wheels and their bearings. 1

In this store-service system the track-wires all have to be high abovethe heads of the customers. The bundle-wrapping clerk and the cashiercan be situated upon a level with the ends of said wires A; but theclerks reqpire some method whereby they can easily reach the carriers.The means by which I accomplish this is by removing the carriers fromtheir wires A and lowering them to within easy reach of the clerks. Thecarriers, after being filled, are then elevated up to and placed upontheir wires, and allowed to gravitate to the central office B. Myelevator for this purpose consists, as shown in Fig. 7, simply of ashort section of inflexible track, Q, vertically movable at the end ofits track-wire A. To allow a carrier to roll from the wire A to the saidelevator Q and back, this end of the wire A must be fastened to its barD by means of an offset support, F. This elevator Q is supported by thesmall metal rod 0 atone end and cord 0", and at its other end by thecord 0 and pulleys O 0 Thelower end of the rod 0 is bent into an offset,O",-pix otally secured to its end of the elevator Q. This rod, bypassing through the eyes 0 O on the bar D, retains the elevator Q inline with its end of the wire A. A counterpoised weight,'O*, retains theelevator Q, when empty, up in contact with its wire A. The end at O ofsaid elevator is prevented from rising higher than the offset support Fby the collar 0 on the rod 0. The cords O O are so adjusted asto causethe outer end of the elevator Q to hang low enough to keep the carrier,when thereon, from rolling off the end at 0 The cord 0 being fasteneddirectly to the other end of the said elevator, holds the carrier fromgoing off at that point. A spring, 0, is introduced between the end ofthe rod 0 and its supportingcord 0.

In use the carrier rolls from the track-wire A onto the elevator Q,overbalances the weight 0, and both elevator and carrier sink to theclerks counter, or to any desired point above. In restoring the carrierto the wire A the clerk pulls down upon the cord 0 until the elevatorreaches its wire. He continues to pull; butthe collar 0 being stopped bythe eye 0, the spring O yields, and the outer end of said elevator israised still higher, and the carrier rolled thereby off onto the wire A.

As a carrier usually reaches the end of its track-wire with some littleenergy to spare, I fasten a spring, S, to the bar B, to one side of andat an acute angle with the track-wire A. The outer end of thisspring-arm S is to be a little higher than the part P of the carrier,and its inner end is to be lower. The carrier, running in under thisspring, soon gives up, in friction therewith, all its remainingmomentum. The said spring also serves to hold the carrier from runningaway backward should there be sufficient slack to the wire A.

to give it such a tendency. When the wire A falls to its position A thecarrier is freed from the pressure of the spring S and can gravitateaway.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and for whic I desire Letters Patent, isas follows, to wit:

1. In a storeserviee system, tracks, rods, cords, or wires radiatingfrom a central offiee to the different counters, in combination withmeans whereby carriers are made to traverse thereon between thesaidcentral office and the counters, each carrier having its own independent way. r

2. In a storeservice system, tracks, rods, cords, or wires radiatingfrom a central office to the different counters, in combination withmeans whereby there are made to gravitate between said central officeand the counters carriers put thereon, each having its'own independentway. g

3. In a store-service system, tracks, rods, cords, or wires radiatingfrom a central office to the different counters, in combination withcarriers adapted to roll thereon, and means whereby parts of saidtracks, rods, cords, or wires can be so elevated and depressed as tocause said carriers to gravitate from end to end of their respectiveways.

4. In a store-service system, tracks, rods, cords, or wires radiatingfrom a central office to the different counters, in combination withcarriers adapted to roll thereon, and means whereby intermediate partsof sai (1 tracks, rods, cords, or wires can be so elevated and depressedas to cause said carriers to gravitate. from end to end of theirrespective ways.

5. A track, rod, cord, or wire having its ends fixed and one or moreintermediate parts of its length vertically movable, whereby a carrierthereon is made to gravitate from end to end of the same, substantiallyas specified.

6. A track, rod, cord, or wire, A, in combination with one or moreoffset supports, 1 having means fonelevating them, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

7. A track, rod, cord, or wire, A, fastened to movable supports F atintermediate parts of its length, in combination with means whereby saidsupports shallbe made to tend strongly upward, but be retained therefromby stops capable of being detached upon thepassage by each of a carrierrolling upon said way, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. A rod, cord, or wire, A, in combination with one or more offsetsupports, F, cords M, springs M, cord N, and means for detaining saidcords M by stops which shall be removable by the passage by each of acarrier rolling upon said way, substantially as and for the "purposedescribed.

9. A rod, cord, or wire, A, in combination with offset supports F, cordsM, pulleys M, buttons M clutches L and means for auto maticallydetaching the same, springs M, and cord N, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

10. A rod, cord,-or wire, A, in combination with one or more oifsetsupports, F, angle-irons L L, cords L cords M, pulleys 1", buttons M",clutches L, springs h and cord N, sub stantially as and for the purposeset forth.

11. In a support for a cord or wire, A, the

Poff'set support F, suspended from a cord, and

having means whereby the pull of its supported wire A shall prevent itsswinging around against the same.

12. In a support for a cord or wire, A, the

offset support Fyhaving arms J J, whereby it is prevented from swingingaround against said supported wire .or cord A.

13. In a store-service system, the bent metal rods P P, in combinationwith receptacle R, sccured to their lower ends, and wheels 1?, havingbearings in the bends P of said-rods P P, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

14. A receptacle, R, bent metal rods P P, having acute bends P P, andadjustable blocks 1?, in combination with the grooved wheels P P, havingconical axles, substantially as and for the purpose described.

15. As a means whereby a wire or cord, A, is guided to the grooves of acarriers wheels when the latter is being placed thereon, convergingsurfaces secured to said carrier immediately in front or behind itswheels, substantially as described.

16. In combination with the rods P P and wheels P P, the convergingwires P substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

17 In combination with a track, rod, cord, or wire, A, a short sectionof similar track, Q, vertically movable at the end of the same.

18. In combination with a track, rod, cord, or wire, A, a short sectionof similar track vertically movable at the end of the same, and

having means for tilting said short section, wherebya carrier can bekept thereon or rolled off, as desired.

19. As a means whereby to raise and lower a carrier to and from the endof the cord or wire A, the rod Q, in combination with offsetsupporting-rod O, cords O O, and suitable pulleys, substantially as setforth.

20. In combination with the cord or wire A and bar D, having oifsetsupport F, the elevator Q, bent rod 0, eye 0 spring 0, cords O 0,pulleys O 0 and the weight 0*, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set myhand this 4th day of June, 1883.

ARTEMAS B. UPHAM.

Vitnesses:

NICHOLAS GoLnsBRoUcn, G. N. MIHIGAN.

